IT is easy in these days of rapid change at City to read too much into the most insignificant act or the least complex of statements.

But the fact that the Blues executive chairman Garry Cook has indicated this week that the club was slowing down its move to bring Brazilian striker Jo to Eastlands may have some added significance.

The 21-year-old's near £20m switch from the cold of CSKA Moscow to the white hot heat of the Premier League was thought to be a done deal with only the finer details of the contract and the work permit to sort out.

Those looking for reasons for the `slow down' may well alight upon the belief that new boss Mark Hughes wants to do his own research into Jo's attributes and character or, perhaps more pertinently, that he believes he can get a similar player elsewhere who will fit into his plans for less expenditure - Roque Santa Cruz by any chance?

Only time will tell on that one but what has happened this week seems clear confirmation that when Cook said that Hughes would be his own man with the final say on who comes to the club and who leaves it, then the executive chairman meant exactly that.

Italian giants AC Milan, it appears, are poised to take an interest should the Jo deal hit a stumbling block though City fans should not worry too much with the smart money still on the highly rated and clearly talented young Brazil star arriving at Carrington.

His physical presence and eye for a goal will be welcomed warmly though if Ronaldinho also hangs his hat in the Blues dressing room, then the new manager is in danger of being overwhelmed with striking options.

Hughes has spent much of his first five days at the club following his speedily concluded switch from Blackburn looking in depth at the squad that he has inherited.

One of the key words he has been deliberating is 'balance' and there is a danger, as attacking players continue to flood into City, that the squad will become top heavy with hitmen of some description.

A glance down the current squad list suggests that if Jo and Ronaldinho arrive then the Blues boss will be attempting to juggle no fewer than 12 senior strikers.

It doesn't take a genius to work out that at some point the Blues have got to stop accumulating strikers like they were collectables and instead send a few to auction and use the money raised to add some steel to what proved itself to be a brittle team at inopportune times last season.

As he sits in his office at the Carrington training HQ, Hughes will no doubt be scratching his head at the attacking alternatives that he could be presented with when the squad returns to training at the beginning of next month.

Even without any incoming twinkle-toed Brazilians, the City chief is faced with a bewildering choice of styles and ages of hitmen who, over the past few seasons, have cost various managers a staggering £33m.

What is even more worrying for Hughes and his coaching staff is that City have been one of the least productive sides in front of goal in the top flight over the past two seasons and, whether he signs Jo or Ronaldinho or not, that has to improve if the Blues are to climb any higher than they did last term.

The season before last, under Stuart Pearce, City scored 43 goals and failed to find the net in eight consecutive home games.

Last season they managed just 45 goals in the 36 Premier League outings, scoring fewer than Birmingham who were relegated.

Just how badly the strikers struggled to find the net - whether the reasons were because of form or formation - is indicated by the fact that the top scorer was midfielder Elano, who was the only one to manage double figures and that was with the aid of penalties.

Here is a rundown of the contracted striking corps that awaits Hughes' verdict.

Mwaruwari Benjani (£3.8m): Decent enough record for Portsmouth last season but struggled for consistency in the final weeks of the season. He became Sven-Goran Eriksson's first choice.

Rolando Bianchi (£9m): Homesickness didn't help his cause. He scored five goals in 10 starts and 14 sub appearances and wants to play in Italy.

Valeri Bojinov (£6m): Badly injured early in his Blues career and it is still not clear whether the Bulgarian international will take to the demands of the Premier League or not.

Felipe Caicedo (£5.2m): Signed in the January window by Eriksson and despite string of substitute appearances has still not started a match or scored a goal. Needs to step up markedly next season but is only 19 years old.

Nery Castillo (loan): Not sure what his best position is but he can play wide or as a central striker. Still to really impress City fans after moving from Shakhtar Donetsk who paid around £12m for him.

Bernardo Corradi (£2m): He is in the last year of his contract and ripe for a loan move having spent last season back in Italy. He scored three goals in 23 starts for the Blues after being bought by Stuart Pearce.

Ched Evans (Academy): City have already had around ten requests to loan the Wales international teenager who has a new three-year contract and will be hoping to break through after successful spell at Norwich.

Georgios Samaras (£5.5m): Wants to leave but a buyer needs to come up with £3m. Bought by Pearce from Heerenveen in Holland and scored 12 times in 36 starts and 29 sub appearances before loan to Celtic.

Daniel Sturridge (Academy): Like Evans, a home-grown striker who impressed last season when he scored two goals for the first team in two starts and two outings as a substitute. He needs to stay fit.

Darius Vassell (£1.5m): Willing to play anywhere for the team and ended the season with a bit of a goal flurry that took his total for the campaign to six and his overall tally to 17 in 95 starts.

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